AMERICA continues to wind up its good citizens (and reduce the numbers who might want to fly) with ideas that every US commercial passenger aircraft should be fitted with anti-missile systems. But that tactic would be a costly and impractical defence against terrorists armed with shoulder-fired rockets, according to a study released 25 January by Santa Monica-based Rand Corp. Researchers said it could cost nearly $40bn over 20 years to deploy defence technology on the country's 6,800 passenger jets. By comparison, the federal government currently spends roughly $4.4bn a year on all transportation security. The study also found the devices powerful on-board lasers that divert heat-seeking missiles weren't yet reliable enough for commercial aviation because of false alarms that could boost maintenance costs as well as distract authorities and create a safety hazard. The report echoed the concerns of government officials over adapting the technology already used on military aircraft.
http://www.rand.org